CONCERNING DORADO, £ 



ciefcription of the difcovery of the Maragnon by the 

 renowned Orellana, and then proceeds as follows : 



Not fo much for the fake of difcovering the cin- 



namon-plant, did Gonzalo Pizarro undertake this 

 cc journey, as to find out a great prince, who bears the 

 * c name of Golden [Dorado], and whofe fame extends 

 " over all thofe regions. It is related of him, that he 

 4S is conftantly clad in beaten gold, from a conceit 

 fC that this was the fovereign and moll gorgeous orna- 

 " ment for a prince.. To cloath himfelf in wrought 

 <c gold, appeared wretched and low to him, as every 

 * 4 other might do the like. But to powder himfelf 

 ie over and over with gold duft, which was warned off 

 ii every evening, that the enfuing morning he might 

 KC be ftrewed with frefh, was to be fine beyond exam- 

 cc pie. Such a drefs was likewife of all others the molt 

 " commodious, as it was no confinement to him in 

 6 - any of his motions, and concealed no part of the 

 " beautiful ftruclure of his body.— To which end, this 

 (C prince every morning bathes himfelf in a water of 

 " fragrant gums, and is then ftrewed over with gold- 

 fC dull, which, adhering to the body, gives him, in 

 " the light of all men, the appearance of a ftat'ue 

 iC finely carved in gold. Hence it is manifeft, that 

 iC the country which he inhabits mult be extremely 

 cc abundant in mines of that metal ; and accordingly 

 \ ' Gonzalo Pizarro was refolved to trace it out." 



Thus far the letter of Oviedo. 



Here we fee the real foundation of the whole Itory. 

 It is entire] v built on hearfav, and has never been con- 

 firmed by the experience of any traveller. In the let- 

 ter itfelf it is not noticed of what nation this cacique 



$ 3 was : 



